FCC’s Tom Wheeler Unveils His Plan to Open Up Market for Set-Top Boxes

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler on Thursday released his plan to open up the market for television set-top boxes, setting up a showdown with large cable and other pay-TV companies.

Mr. Wheeler’s plan aims to end the cable industry’s powerful lock on the lucrative market for set-top boxes. The devices have long been used to fashion cable signals into TV programming, but more independent suppliers are coming up with new devices that could offer more, including integrated search of cable subscriptions and online streaming-video services, including Netflix and Hulu.